Re: defining 'grass fed/pastured' for the general public

[Guest guest]

Looks good to me.

Belinda

In a message dated 11/4/02 6:34:38 AM Central Standard Time,

s.fisher22@... writes:

>

> Hi All,

>

> I think I mentioned before that I've been in contact with the owner of

> www.localharvest.org which is a nationwide online database of local farms.

> I

> think it's a superb tool for locating locally raised meat, dairy and

> organic

> produce and hope that it becomes widely used.

>

> In any case, although sally never responded to my question as to whether

> she'd like the WAPF to be added to the search criteria, so people could

> locate WAPF-affiliated farms, I decided to go ahead and ask the database

> owner if he wouldn't mind adding a 'grass fed/pastured' category to it, so

> people could locate these foods, whether or not the farms are affiliated

> with WAPF. He went ahead and added it, and he asked me to write a

> definition

> of 'grass fed/pastured' to be added to this page of definitions of various

> farming methods:

> http://www.localharvest.org/organic.jsp

>

> I was supposed to get it to him this weekend, but am running a bit late. I

> want to get a little feedback on it before I submit it to him though, and I

> thought you guys would be the perfect 'editorial board' :-) So here it is -

> i'd love some feedback on it (today, if possible). TIA!

>

>

> -----------------------

>

> Grass fed/pastured animals are raised on pasture (grass), as opposed to

> being kept in confinement and fed primarily grains. Depending on the

> region,

> some are on pasture 100% of their lives, while others are on pasture

> seasonally (spring - fall). Pasturing livestock and poultry is the

> traditional method of raising farm animals, is ecologically sustainable,

> humane, and produces the most nutritious meat, dairy and eggs.

>

> In recent years research on pastured meat has shown that it is

> significantly

> higher than conventional meat in vit. E, Essential Fatty Acids, Conjugated

> Linoleic Acid (CLA) which has anti-cancer properties, beta-carotene and

> various other important nutrients. Pastured dairy and eggs are similarly

> much higher in various nutrients (including vitamin B12, folic acid,

> vitamin

> E, EFAs, vitamin A, and carotenes), than conventional eggs and dairy.

>

> Eating grass is the key to the healthy nutrient profile of these foods, so

> be sure to ask farmers what percent of their animals' diet is grass.

> Cattle,

> lamb and bison may be raised on 100% grass as it's their natural diet,

> however commercial poultry is typically fed grains, even when on pasture.

> But they do have access to grass and bugs making their meat and eggs

> healthier than non pastured.

>

> For more information on the benefits of grass fed meat, dairy and eggs, see

> www.eatwild.com

>

>

[Guest guest]

Looks great! Good website, too. Deborah

----- Original Message -----

From: " Suze Fisher " <s.fisher22@...>

" " < >

Sent: Monday, November 04, 2002 6:36 AM

Subject: defining 'grass fed/pastured' for the general

public

> Hi All,

>

> I think I mentioned before that I've been in contact with the owner of

> www.localharvest.org which is a nationwide online database of local farms.

I

> think it's a superb tool for locating locally raised meat, dairy and

organic

> produce and hope that it becomes widely used.

>

> In any case, although sally never responded to my question as to whether

> she'd like the WAPF to be added to the search criteria, so people could

> locate WAPF-affiliated farms, I decided to go ahead and ask the database

> owner if he wouldn't mind adding a 'grass fed/pastured' category to it, so

> people could locate these foods, whether or not the farms are affiliated

> with WAPF. He went ahead and added it, and he asked me to write a

definition

> of 'grass fed/pastured' to be added to this page of definitions of various

> farming methods:

> http://www.localharvest.org/organic.jsp

>

> I was supposed to get it to him this weekend, but am running a bit late. I

> want to get a little feedback on it before I submit it to him though, and

I

> thought you guys would be the perfect 'editorial board' :-) So here it

is -

> i'd love some feedback on it (today, if possible). TIA!

>

>

> -----------------------

>

> Grass fed/pastured animals are raised on pasture (grass), as opposed to

> being kept in confinement and fed primarily grains. Depending on the

region,

> some are on pasture 100% of their lives, while others are on pasture

> seasonally (spring - fall). Pasturing livestock and poultry is the

> traditional method of raising farm animals, is ecologically sustainable,

> humane, and produces the most nutritious meat, dairy and eggs.

>

> In recent years research on pastured meat has shown that it is

significantly

> higher than conventional meat in vit. E, Essential Fatty Acids,

Conjugated

> Linoleic Acid (CLA) which has anti-cancer properties, beta-carotene and

> various other important nutrients. Pastured dairy and eggs are similarly

> much higher in various nutrients (including vitamin B12, folic acid,

vitamin

> E, EFAs, vitamin A, and carotenes), than conventional eggs and dairy.

>

> Eating grass is the key to the healthy nutrient profile of these foods, so

> be sure to ask farmers what percent of their animals' diet is grass.

Cattle,

> lamb and bison may be raised on 100% grass as it's their natural diet,

> however commercial poultry is typically fed grains, even when on pasture.

> But they do have access to grass and bugs making their meat and eggs

> healthier than non pastured.

>

> For more information on the benefits of grass fed meat, dairy and eggs,

see

> www.eatwild.com

>

>

> ----------------------

>

> I was wondering if I should mention that 'free range' is not necessarily

> equivalent to 'pastured' as 'free range' seems to be a commonly used term,

> although 'pastured' seems like it's becoming more frequently used.

>

> ???

>

> Suze Fisher

> Lapdog Design, Inc.

> Web Design & Development

> http://members.bellatlantic.net/~vze3shjg/

> mailto:s.fisher22@...

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Definition looks good, Suze. I found biodynamic pastured pork in my area from

this site.

Wanita

[Guest guest]

Suze-

Good job! I do have one quibble, though, or a request for clarification,

anyway. I think it's important to note that grain finishing means the meat

can't properly be considered pastured. There's a difference between hay

(or hayledge) and corn silage or grain. Maybe you don't want to get into

that kind of detail, but I think you should at least mention the important

distinction.

>Depending on the region,

>some are on pasture 100% of their lives, while others are on pasture

>seasonally (spring - fall).

-

[Guest guest]

It looks great, Suze. I think I would mention the distinction between

free-range and pastured, as the free-range claim can be deceptive - unless

the site manager wants to screen out free-range farms that aren't pastured.

Peace,

Kris , gardening in harmony with nature in northwest Ohio

> Hi All,

>

> I think I mentioned before that I've been in contact with the owner of

> www.localharvest.org which is a nationwide online database of local farms.

I

> think it's a superb tool for locating locally raised meat, dairy and

organic

> produce and hope that it becomes widely used.

>

> In any case, although sally never responded to my question as to whether

> she'd like the WAPF to be added to the search criteria, so people could

> locate WAPF-affiliated farms, I decided to go ahead and ask the database

> owner if he wouldn't mind adding a 'grass fed/pastured' category to it, so

> people could locate these foods, whether or not the farms are affiliated

> with WAPF. He went ahead and added it, and he asked me to write a

definition

> of 'grass fed/pastured' to be added to this page of definitions of various

> farming methods:

> http://www.localharvest.org/organic.jsp

>

> I was supposed to get it to him this weekend, but am running a bit late. I

> want to get a little feedback on it before I submit it to him though, and

I

> thought you guys would be the perfect 'editorial board' :-) So here it

is -

> i'd love some feedback on it (today, if possible). TIA!

>

>

> -----------------------

>

> Grass fed/pastured animals are raised on pasture (grass), as opposed to

> being kept in confinement and fed primarily grains. Depending on the

region,

> some are on pasture 100% of their lives, while others are on pasture

> seasonally (spring - fall). Pasturing livestock and poultry is the

> traditional method of raising farm animals, is ecologically sustainable,

> humane, and produces the most nutritious meat, dairy and eggs.

>

> In recent years research on pastured meat has shown that it is

significantly

> higher than conventional meat in vit. E, Essential Fatty Acids,

Conjugated

> Linoleic Acid (CLA) which has anti-cancer properties, beta-carotene and

> various other important nutrients. Pastured dairy and eggs are similarly

> much higher in various nutrients (including vitamin B12, folic acid,

vitamin

> E, EFAs, vitamin A, and carotenes), than conventional eggs and dairy.

>

> Eating grass is the key to the healthy nutrient profile of these foods, so

> be sure to ask farmers what percent of their animals' diet is grass.

Cattle,

> lamb and bison may be raised on 100% grass as it's their natural diet,

> however commercial poultry is typically fed grains, even when on pasture.

> But they do have access to grass and bugs making their meat and eggs

> healthier than non pastured.

>

> For more information on the benefits of grass fed meat, dairy and eggs,

see

> www.eatwild.com

>

>

> ----------------------

>

> I was wondering if I should mention that 'free range' is not necessarily

> equivalent to 'pastured' as 'free range' seems to be a commonly used term,

> although 'pastured' seems like it's becoming more frequently used.

>

> ???

>

> Suze Fisher

> Lapdog Design, Inc.

> Web Design & Development

> http://members.bellatlantic.net/~vze3shjg/

> mailto:s.fisher22@...

[Guest guest]

Perhaps you should mention something about the fact that pigs

can't live on grass/grazing alone, people shouldn't be trying to

find exclusively grassfed pork. " Pastured " pigs must either be

supplemented with other kinds of more calorie-dense feed like

grains or have sufficient space and time to forage in forest or

other areas that provide a wider range of food than just grass

pasture. Mentioning the distinction of grass-finishing for cattle

and sheep is a good idea, but according to what I've read the

no-grain aspect (and CLA) really only applies to ruminants, since

pigs and fowl can have grain included in their diet and still

produce a far more nutritious product as long as they also have

the variety of forage.

And yes, I think a distinction should be made between

" free-range " and " pastured " .

Good job, Suze.

Aubin